


31 Days of Fall/Halloween

by hereforthephilindafics



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: 31 Days Of Halloween, Baking, Black Cat - Freeform, Cemetery, Full Moon, Gen, Ghosts, Halloween, Halloween Candy, Halloween Challenge, Haunted Houses, Sex in the Dark, Thanksgiving, Transfiguration, Vampires, Werewolves, apple picking, halloween decorations, halloween party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:49:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 11,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26758279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hereforthephilindafics/pseuds/hereforthephilindafics
Summary: A ficelt for every day of this spooky month.
Relationships: Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 183
Kudos: 97





	1. Halloween Candy

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a minute! 
> 
> I feel like I have not written much for AoS lately. I had come up with this challenge a while back and although I am still trying to recover from that finale I decided to challenge myself. 
> 
> This will probably include the entire team and rating might go up. I will add characters and tags as I post.
> 
> Happy spooky season!

Melinda was beginning to remember why she usually left him home when she went grocery shopping. Coulson had the attention span of a child in places like grocery stores or bookstores. He always got overwhelmed by the options and then wandered off somewhere. It was the third time she needed to back-track to find him.

“Phillip J Coulson!” Melinda said when she caught him in the Halloween section their local grocery store had created.

He jumped, throwing the skeleton he was holding behind him. A young mother with a toddler walked by and chuckled. Melinda was jealous of her well behaved two-year-old. How could someone so much older act like a kid?

“I was just looking at it,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“We do not need more Halloween decorations! Our neighbors probably think we are weird already.”

Coulson was fussing with the bony hand of a light-up witch. “Who cares? You don’t even like them anyway.”

Melinda slapped his hand away from the overpriced piece of plastic.

“Ouch! Not fair! The other moms let their kids buy stuff,” Coulson said, rubbing his right hand. He made a pouty face at her.

She rolled her eyes, ready to throw a decorative pillow with a spider on at him when he lurched toward her. Melinda shrieked when he grabbed her by the waist, pulling her flush to his body. Coulson attacked her throat, making snapping noises as his teeth scrapped her skin.

“I really cannot take you anywhere,” she said, sighing.

He chuckled. “If I give you some sugar, will you let me buy some candy?”

She shoved him away. “You are so corny.”

“I actually do not like candy corn,” Coulson said, already walking toward the shelves with candy on them.

Melinda followed, shaking her head. She knew it was pointless, whenever he got something into his head there was no changing it. Coulson stopped in front of the colorful bags of candy. They always seemed to get bigger and brighter around this time of year. He held up a family-size Kit-Kat bag with a vampire on it and grinned.

“Whatever, it’s your blood sugar, not mine.

Coulson flung the bag into their cart, three more following. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you some sea salt dark chocolate.”

Melinda snorted. “Who is eating all of this anyway?”

He turned to her. “The trick or treaters of course!”

“Ah yes! What’s better than getting candy from a stranger?”

Coulson blinked at her as he unloaded more candy into their cart. “I don’t think you understand how trick or treating works.”

“Whatever, Coulson. Just hurry up!”

By the time they made it to the cashier, Coulson had tallied up ten bags of candy, a wreath of black roses for their front door, the light-up witch, and some fake cobwebs. Melinda groaned when she heard the total.

“My treat,” he said, pulling out one of his credit cards instead of the debit card to their joint bank account for household expenses.

“I don’t have any tricks for you,” Melinda said, squeezing past him to roll the cart away. She yelped when something light and thin smacked her ass.

Coulson was waving the witch’s arm at her. “It’s okay, you can give me a treat later.”

She threw a back of candy at him and kept going.


	2. Apple Picking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is partly based on my apple picking experiences. My friends love throwing apple at each other every time we go LOL

Melinda knew they were not a normal bunch and attempting to do normal things always failed. Like going apple picking. She sighed. They got there late, but at least attempted to leave on time. By the time Phil parked and got Peggy on a leash, it was already past the time Melinda had planned to be inside the orchard.

Fitz and Simmons got there only a few minutes after. Alya all but jumped out of her car seat when she saw them. Peggy sniffed her with curiosity as the toddler tried to hold on to her ears. Fitz mumbled an apology about being late and then looked at Jemma who just rolled her eyes.

Melinda gave up on waiting for Daisy and the rest of them. She knew they would be late, and she wanted to enjoy the orchard while it was not packed.

“You know we can always buy apples at the store if they run out, right?” Phil whispered in her ear, pulling her back when Melinda began to march toward the ticket stall.

She narrowed her eyes at him. He kissed the top of her head and got in line for the tickets. Daisy, Daniel, Mack and Elena got there right as Phil got out of line, but being the ops agent he was, he had already gotten tickets for them as well.

Alya waved her small apple bag around as she stumbled through the mud toward the trees. Peggy followed her, wagging her tail.

It did not take long for their outing to turn into an apple battle. Daisy decided she wanted to see how many times she could hit Mack in the head. Melinda rolled her eyes, sighing at the waste until Phil reminded her that they were using the apples already on the ground and no good. She watched as Jemma tried to take pictures of Alya who seemed very interested in the dirt she was walking on.

Melinda looked around, searching for Phil. When she caught his eyes, he grinned around a mouthful of apple. She rolled her eyes, chuckling.

All the apple throwing caused them to work up an appetite sooner than anyone had planned. Daisy very pointedly suggested the farm store when Phil said the sandwiches were in the trunk. Elena went ahead to save them a spot. If Melinda thought their behavior in the orchard was bad, their table manners were worse.

Although Daisy got enough apple cider donuts, hot dogs, and tea for a party twice their size they all fought over the bags. Melinda pulled Alya into her lap and fed her small bites of a cinnamon sugar donut. She glared at Phil when she caught him sneaking a hot dog for Peggy.

All the sugar made Daisy crash after a while, but they were able to get enough apples for the apple pies Melinda had in mind. Phil carried Alya to the car while Daniel carried Daisy who was snoring on his shoulder like she was five years old. Elena snapped a picture of her drooling, calling it insurance.

The purr of the engine lulled Peggy to sleep as soon as they hit the highway. Melinda reached for Phil’s right hand, waving their fingers together. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

“I picked the cutest pumpkin in the patch,” he said, not taking his eyes off the road.


	3. Halloween Decorations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I'm writing these from Melinda's POV and it probably won't change lol

Melinda waited for both in the Hangar, sitting on one of Mack’s barrels. Trip saw her first.

“Ah shit! Busted!” he said, turning to Skye.

Melinda raised her right eyebrow at them. Skye was suddenly very interested in the Hangar while Trip walked toward her flashing his all-teeth grin.

“What did I say about unauthorized trips off the Playground?” Melinda asked, crossing her arms on her chest.

“Come on, May! We needed decorations,” Skye said, waving the red bags in the air.

“Decorations?”

Trip snorted, pretending to choke when Melinda glared at him.

Skye rolled her eyes. “Halloween decorations! It’s October!”

“You are aware that we run a secret spy agency and not a daycare, Agent Sky?”

The two young agents looked at each other, shoulders falling.

“Where did you even get the money to go to Target, anyway?” Melinda asked, hopping off the barrel and heading for the door.

“Ummm, Coulson gave us cash.”

Melinda stopped and turned around slowly. “He wanted candy, didn’t he?”

“We cannot confirm nor deny that claim, Agent May,” Trip said, crossing his hands behind his back and standing at attention.

“Fine, I’ll just confiscate the bags then.”

Skye’s eyes widened. “No!” She grabbed the bag Trip was holding and bolted down the hallway that connected the Hangar to the base.

Melinda turned to Trip. “You’re supposed to be watching out for her.”

“That’s why I went with her! If I hadn’t, she probably would have spent all the money Director Coulson gave her.”

“You have the rest?’

Trip fished out a stack of bills from his back pocket and held it up. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Melinda rolled her eyes and turned. “The drinks in my room are free,” she said without turning to face him.

She knew Trip would follow.


	4. Pumpkin Ale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you don't like pumpkin ale we can't be friends LOL

Melinda came down the stairs from Coulson’s office just in time for a pretzel to fly past her head. Skye hurled a variety of colorful insults at Hunter, who was leaning against the kitchen counter smirking at her.

“What did I miss?” she asked Coulson who was draining pasta by the sink.

He chuckled. “Skye said she loves pumpkin ale and Hunter said it’s disgusting.”

Melinda blinked as she waited for Coulson to tell her more. “That’s it?”

“You know how passionate Skye is about Fall things, Mel,” he said, turning to smile at her.

She turned her head to look at Skye. The girl was sitting on the couch next to Jemma. They both had matching Halloween themed socks and sweaters. It looked like they were trying to watch a movie while drinking the pumpkin ale that had been the topic of the argument, but Hunter kept throwing pretzels at both of them.

“Do you think she ever got to do any of this when she was little?” Melinda asked, turning to Coulson.

The right corner of his mouth turned upward in what was an attempt at a smile as he platted the pasta. “I don’t think so. She never stayed in one place long enough.”

“Is that why you let her decorate the Playground?”

Coulson chuckled. “It’s not like we can take her apple picking or trick or treating.”

Melinda groaned at the idea of swarms of kids and parents walking around in the cold just to get some candy. Her stomach growled when she smelled the sauce Coulson was pouring over the pasta.

“What did you make?”

He grinned, looking up at her. “Butternut squash sauce with rosemary and thyme.”

“Maybe we should take this upstairs before Hunter eats the entire pan.”

Coulson chuckled, arranging the plates on a tray, and walking up the stairs first. Melinda followed, stopping when a pretzel hit the back of her head. She turned slowly, smirking at the silence that overtook the room. Skye and Hunter pointed at one-another.

“I’m confiscating two bottles of pumpkin ale,” Melinda said, holding her hand out.

Hunter sighed as he got up to bring them to her.

“Clean up when you’re done,” she said, walking up the stairs with a smile they couldn’t see.


	5. Haunted House

The steps of the back porch of the safe house creaked as Melinda went up. When she didn’t hear any other footsteps behind her, she turned her head. Skye, Fitz, and Simmons were still at the bottom of the stairs, huddled close together to keep warm. The October wind was particularly sharp that night, the leaves rustling with each gust that sounded like a howl. The full moon shinned bright in a clear sky decorated by stars and Melinda could see the fear in their faces. She smirked.

“Come on!”

Fitz, slotted between Skye and Jemma’s shoulders, looked up the faded facade of the house. The paint had begun to peel, and moss was growing in some spots. “Why do we need to come again?”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “Because the agent we are looking for might be in there, and he might be hurt, or dangerous.”  
Jemma taped at the screen of her scanner. “No life signs, Agent May.”

“He might be using a device that blocks his signature. Plus, this house is old, it might be dangerous.”

“Yeah, it looks like the second floor might fall on you the second you step in, May,” Skye said.

“Move it!” Melinda didn’t wait to see if they followed or not.

The brass doorknob was covered with a layer of rust. It was so cold Melinda felt like it burned her fingers for a moment. The door didn’t budge at first, so she pushed it open with her shoulder. The wood swung open, groaning.

“Well, there goes the covert part,” Skye said, stepping in after Melinda.

“We had to get in somehow.”

“I can’t see anything,” Fitz said.

Melinda stopped once inside and blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once her pupils dilated, she could make out the outline of a couch and a table on the far corner of the room, next to a window. The overgrown branches of the tree outside tapped against the dirty glass. They all looked up when they heard footsteps coming from upstairs.

“Told ya!” Melinda said, starting to walk toward the main staircase.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” Jemma said.

“I honestly don’t care as long as we get the hell out of here as soon as possible,” Skye said.

Melinda smirked as she walked upstairs. She held her flashlight under the drawn gun. The stairs creaked under their weight. Something hissed and ran down the stairs.

“Fuck this! That was a rat!” Skye said, running up the stairs.

“Agent Skye! Remember your training!” Melinda said.

“I haven’t had any training on how to react when a big ass rat runs between my legs!” Skye said, shuddering.

There was a loud bang and she screamed when a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her backwards. Behind Melinda, Fitz squealed, and Jemma shushed him. Coulson laughed.

“If this were a real mission, you’d all be dead,” he said.

Melinda rolled her eyes, lowering her gun as she chuckled.

Skye broke free of his hold as the lights turned on. Her face was flushed, hair sticking out in every direction. “What the hell is wrong with you two?”

Melinda smirked. “I thought you wanted to go to a haunted house?”

Skye rolled her eyes. “I meant one where you already know what’s coming at you, not a really creepy house that’s falling apart with rats inside.”

“Oh, so I wasn’t the scary part?” Coulson asked, grinning.

“Can we please go?” Jemma said. “Fitz might pee his pants if we stay any longer.”

“Hey! I wasn’t scared!”

Coulson chuckled. “Yeah let’s go. May and I still need to prank Hunter.”

“You guys are psychos,” Skye said, following them down the stairs.


	6. Halloween Socks

Melinda hated being on laundry duty. She would rather clean the entire Playground than wash everyone else’s dirty clothes. Of course, she was being dramatic as many of the agents preferred to do their own laundry and they had special cleaning procedures for blood stained service clothes. But it always looked like Skye saved all her dirty clothes for when it was Melinda’s turn.

“What the hell?” She blinked down at the orange socks with black cats on them. She could have sworn she had just put them in the clean pile for Skye.

The laundry room door banged open. “Oh here they are!” Skye said. She grabbed the socks on top of the pile and the ones Melinda was holding.

“Why the hell do you have two exact pairs of socks?” She asked before the girl left.

Skye grinned. “One pair is Coulson’s, but I never told you!”

Melinda smirked as she watched Skye leave. She had a feeling she would be getting out of laundry rotation for a while thanks to Coulson’s taste in socks.


	7. Scary Movies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say? I love being mean to Hunter 🤣

“Nightmare on Elm Street?” Skye said.

“No,” Hunter said, taking another sip of his beer.

Skye rolled her eyes, turning to Jemma.

“Freddy Versus Jason?” Jemma asked.

“Nope!” Hunter said, popping the p.

Skye threw the bag of sour patches she was eating at him. “What the hell, man? You don’t like any of the classics!”

Hunter laughed. “Uh none of those are classics hun!”

Jemma looked at Skye and rolled her eyes. “What’s a classic to you then?”

“Night of the Living Dead.” Hunter reclined back in his seat.

“Only because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s a classic, Hunter!” Skye said.

He gasped, in mock shock. “How dare you!”

Skye and Jemma looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

“Whatever, stay ignorant, peasants,” Hunter said, getting up and taking his beer before leaving.

“Ugh I thought he’d never leave!” Jemma said, snuggling into Skye as she started _Night of the Living Dead._


	8. Are you affraid of the dark?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uhhh... the rating went up for reasons. Proceed at your own risk.

Melinda had been thinking about this all day. She made sure both of their schedules were completely free for the rest of the night just so he could fuck her properly. Coulson grunted as the head of his cock brushed across her swollen folds while she rocked back and forth.

“Please … please… Coulson, I need it.”

Whatever air was left in her lungs left in a gasp as Melinda felt his thick cock breach her slowly. She pulsed around the hard intrusion, trying to control herself and not come right away. Her nipples tightened as her clit brushed against his shaft while she moved up and down.

“Yeah, just like that… easy…oh fuck!”

Melinda pulled him closer, gripping the short hair at the back of his neck. She couldn’t slow this down, so she decided to make it quick, this time at least. Coulson almost screamed when she ground down on him, rotating her hips in quick circles. Melinda threw her head back, ready to moan as she felt her orgasm bloom from her clit, anticipating the warmth that would spread through her body, her muscles tight …. And then she blacked out.

“Shit!” Coulson groaned as he tried to move with her still sitting on him.

Melinda blinked as her eyes adjusted to the darkness in the few seconds before the emergency lights came on. “What happened?” She looked around the room, or at least tried.

Coulson grimaced as the alarms sounded. “Either Hunter and Mack fucked something up again or we might have been attacked.”

“Speaking of fucking.” Melinda sighed, biting her lower lip. She could still feel him throbbing inside her. The distraction had not made him even remotely soft.

Coulson looked up at her with a smirk. “Rain check?”

She raised her right eyebrow at him before taking a deep breath. They moaned in unison as they separated. Melinda wanted to punch something, or someone. This was so unfair. Her clothes felt uncomfortable as she pulled them over her sweaty skin. She moaned when she shifted and felt the wetness between her legs. She was sure the wetness was going to soak through her underwear and shorts.

Coulson hissed as he zipped up his jeans. “At least you can hide it,” he said, giving her a sideway glare.

Melinda rolled her eyes and she headed out first. They walked close to the wall on their way to the emergency assembly area. Everyone was already there. Skye was in footie pajamas, rubbing her eyes. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Melinda.

“Took you long enough. Did we interrupt something?”

Melinda glared. “What. Happened?” She made sure to glare at everyone equally.

“There are no signs of intruders, Agent May,” Bobbi said.

“Still, you and Mack take a team and sweep the place,” Coulson said. “Fitz, Simmons, try to find out what the hell caused the power to go out.”

“Am I not being assigned anything because I’m wearing footie pjs?” Skye asked as the rest of the team dispersed to follow their orders.

Coulson looked at May, chuckling.

“Find Hunter,” she said.

“Hunter? Why?”

Melinda had already started walking away. “Because if this is one of his pranks, I’m going to kill him.”

“Yikes,” Skye said, heading in the opposite direction.

“Subtle,” Coulson whispered in her right ear as they walked down the hallway.

Melinda groaned. “Even that is turning me on so please stop.”

She heard his groan before she realized Coulson was dragging her toward one of the side hallways. He slammed her against the wall, pinning her body with his. His erection nestled between their stomachs.

“How bad do you really want it?” He asked, dragging his teeth down her neck.

Melinda wrapped her right leg around his waist, pulling him closer as she undid his belt and zipper. “Either do it or shut up.”

Coulson growled as she jumped up to wrap both legs around his waist. His fingers ran across the crotch of her short for a few seconds before he pulled the material aside and sank into her in one slow push. Melinda’s nails dug into his shoulders and she bit his neck trying not to scream. He did not let the pain she was inflicting stop him. He bounced her on his cock hard and fast, his hips snapping with more power each thrust until he completely lost his rhythm and rutted into her until Melinda moaned when she felt liquid mixed with his sperm rush out of her.

“Fuck!” Coulson panted as he moved toward the wall, trying to lower her down carefully.

Melinda’s legs were shaking. She was very glad there was no true emergency, or they would be dead by now. She laughed at the absurdity of the situation. They acted like horny teenagers. Coulson must have been thinking the same thing because he chuckled, nuzzling her jaw as he placed kisses on her neck. Melinda leaned harder against the wall, feeling the cold seep into her skin and clear her head. Their radios crackled.

“Coulson, May, we found the culprit,” Mack said.

“Was it Hunter?” Melinda asked, hoping she didn’t sound too breathless.

Mack chuckled on the other side. “No. A rat looks to have nibbled his way through some wires that sparked a small fire and caused an emergency shutdown.”

She rolled her eyes as she looked at Coulson.

“Good job, Agent Mackenzie. We’ll meet you in the Hangar in ten minutes.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Melinda tried to stretch out the cramped muscles that were making their displeasure very known. “You’re going to have to carry me back, just letting you know.”

Coulson laughed, pulling her in by the arms, kissing her just as the lights turned back on.


	9. Decorating the House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day late because I got caught up with another fic last night 😬

“Imagine how embarrassing it will be if your obituary says ‘died while attempting to hang up string lights,” Melinda said, holding the ladder with both hands.

Coulson snorted and looked down at her. “If I do fall and bust my head I’m sure you guys will bring me back, again.”

“Oh so twice wasn’t good enough for you?” She shook the ladder lightly, chuckling.

“I’d like to point out I didn’t ask for it either time.”

Melinda rolled her eyes.

“Okay, all done!”

Coulson stepped down carefully, moving back to admire his work. He wrapped his right arm around Melinda’s waist as they watched the giant spider he had placed on top of their roof move its tentacles.

“It’s beautiful,” he said.

“It’s an eye sore,” Melinda said.

He looked down at her. “I’m beating the Dowreys this year. Everyone is going to stop at our house to take pictures of this.”

She rolled her eyes, tugging at his arm. “Come on! It’s freezing out here.”

Peggy barked excitedly from inside the front door when she watched them walk toward her.


	10. Ghosts

She saw him everywhere.

Melinda knew that logically it was not possible. She buried Phil Coulson in Tahiti, after he died in her arms. She dug the grave among the palm trees herself. She watched his body being lowered into it. She buried the bracelet he bought her from a street vendor there too. Melinda couldn’t bare to bring it back with her.

She knew his body was still there. They had installed sensors that would send a message ifanything, or anyone, disturbed his resting place.

Melinda knew all this, and yet she kept seeing him everywhere.

In the airport while she waited for her flight back to the Lighthouse. In the town square when they went to get supplies.

It got worse once Mack began his efforts to re-legitimize Shield. During the week she spent in D.C she saw him in every building, in every garden. At the coffee shop they used to grab coffee together when they were Level One agents. She saw him waiting for her, leaning against Lola.

And every time she rushed to him, he disappeared. Melinda wasn’t sure if it would ever stop hurting, but she looked forward to seeing him every day.


	11. Transfiguration

The bright white light in the lab was hurting Melinda’s eyes. She blinked and jumped up on the table.

_Wait, what?_

Melinda looked behind her. She was on top of the table, all right, but she was still smaller than the contraption that had emitted the beam. She looked down at her legs. She had paws! They were black and her claws were out. Melinda growled, but it didn’t sound like her. She _actually_ sounded like a feline, the noise rumbling out from deep in her chest.

The thing Fitz and Simmons had obviously forgotten in the lab looked like it was off. Melinda circled it a few times, coming close to it but not daring to touch. She extended her paw a few times but thought better and retreated. It didn’t smell like it was dangerous, or like anything really. She growled at it again. Why did she keep doing that?

A mouse scurried across the lab’s floor and Melinda pounced down, chasing after it. She trapped it between her paws and watched it squeal in her grasp. She took pity on the little thing and let it go. They would have to call the exterminator, however.

She realized she wasn’t going to be able to call anyone because she was now a cat apparently. Melinda hissed. She was going to kill Fitz and Simmons. They were probably messing with that thing on the table and left it unattended.

Melinda needed a plan. She needed to find someone. Not knowing if she was even going to be able to let someone know who she was, she set out down the main hallway of the Playground. Everything seemed bigger from down here. Melinda looked around, making sure she wasn’t walking under things that could fall on her. She passed a metal door and stopped, blinking at the reflection. She really was a cat, a black cat. Her tail was curled up, her ears perky. She rolled her eyes internally, but she didn’t see her reflection do it. Something banged down the hall and Melinda bolted. By the time she realized she was in no danger she had already gotten to the bunks. Melinda realized she was headed toward Skye’s room.

She eyed the big door when she reached her destination. There was no other option but to start scratching. Melinda ran her claws down the wood a few times, stopping to see if Skye heard. She wasn’t surprised when nothing happened, the girl could sleep through a Hydra attack. Melinda tried again, a little more aggressive this time but it made no difference. She needed a new plan because she was _not_ going to meow.

She sat back on her rear legs in front of Skye’s door and tried to think. Who could be up at this time of night? Melinda stood when she remembered Coulson liked to work late. How did she not think about him before? She bolted down the hall again, not even needing to check where she was going. She ran up at the stairs and started scratching at his door.

Footsteps moved closer to her. “Who the hell…” Coulson opened the door, poking his head out.

Melinda gave up and meowed, once.

“What the…” He looked down, eyes widening when he realized there was a cat at his feet. “How did you get in here cutie?”

Melinda reminded herself he wasn’t going to help if she pounced on him and scratched his face. She tilted her head and meowed again. Coulson blinked. She meowed again.

“Are you hungry?”

She sighed internally. Why did she think he would be smart enough to understand? Melinda walked around and between Coulson’s legs, rubbing against them. He chuckled.

“Oh so you’re just lonely then?”

Before Melinda could do anything else, Coulson picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She hissed, twisting to escape. His arms were warm and comfortable, but he smelled weird and she couldn’t lose focus. She had to bring him to the lab. Melinda moved her head closer to his face, licking his cheek. There, now he would smell like her and remember her.

Coulson sighed when she twisted again and let her jump out of his arms. “Are you on a mission or something?”

Melinda meowed.

He blinked. “Really? So you want me to follow you?”

She meowed again.

Coulson laughed, looking around. “This better not be one of May’s pranks.”

Melinda rubbed between his legs and walked to the top of the stairs, turning her head to meow at him.

“Well, what the hell. Better than paperwork,” Coulson said, following her down the stairs.

Melinda led the way back to the lab, turning now and then to check he was still behind. She jumped up on the lab table and meowed at the machine before she turned to look at Coulson, meowing again.

He frowned. “So you don’t like this?”

She growled, looking around. That was when she realized the clothes she had been wearing as a human were still on the floor. Melinda jumped down, walking to them, sitting right in the middle of the pile. Coulson frowned as he approached her. He picked up the badge she was scratching.

“This is May’s.” He looked at the clothes. “How…oh no, please don’t tell me you’re May?”

Melinda meowed, sitting up on her back legs to reach up to Coulson with her right paw. She placed it right over his scar, rubbing her head against his chin.

“How do we know this is really May?” Fitz asked, yawning. He was still in pajamas.

Melinda tilted her head and growled.

Coulson smirked down at her. “It’s May all right.”

“Sir, I really don’t know how this happened,” Simmons said.

“This is actually so cool! Can you guys change me next?” Skye said. She tried to pet Melinda who just hissed at her.

“No more changing, unless it’s changing May back. We’ll deal with how this happened latter,” Coulson said.

Melinda knew it was going to take a lot of tech babble and bickering before Fitz and Simmons decided on what was the best way to change her back. She yawned, jumping up on Coulson’s lap and making herself comfortable. She started purring when he scratched behind her ears and petted her head.

“Okay, I think we got it!” Simmons said.

“Think?” Coulson asked, lifting Melinda off his lap and putting her down.

“Since we do not know exactly what caused it the first time, we can only guess, Sir,” Fitz said.

Melinda looked up at Coulson.

“You’ll be okay,” he said.

Melinda wished she could raise her eyebrow at him. She braced for whatever was going to happen but one moment she was staring up at them, the next the beam flashed again, and she was standing on two feet in front of Coulson, naked. She tilted her head to the right at him.

Skye came running with a blanket. “Next time change her back with her clothes on!”

Melinda wrapped the blanket around her body. “There will be no more changing people into animals or objects into people or anything else. I want that thing burned!”

“But, Agent May…” Fitz and Simmons said, looking down when they saw her glare.

Coulson chuckled. “I think the report about this can wait until tomorrow.”

Melinda nodded. “Thanks for not being dumb for once,” she said as they left the lab.

“Ouch! I saved your life.”

“Whatever.”

“Hey Mel, you know you were a really cute—

“Don’t say it,” Melinda said, turning to raise her eyebrow at him now that she could.

Coulson bumped her shoulder as he walked her to her bunk.


	12. Full Moon

Coulson had been feeling strange ever since they returned from their mission. The scratch the rabid dog had inflicted on him was itchy. He rolled up his shirt sleeve, grimacing when he saw how inflamed the area around it was. It didn’t look infected, but it looked like something had changed since Jemma treated it.

He stood from his desk. The office seemed to close in on him, the space too small. He felt the urge to pace around the room, to find a way out of there. Coulson’s skin felt tight, as if he were being stretched too thin, invisible hands pulling him in every direction. He glanced out of his office window. It was a full moon, and she looked beautiful. He rested his hand on the glass, his skin was bathed in blue light. He watched his muscles twitch underneath his skin, so violently it seemed to him something was trying to break free from beneath. Coulson growled, jerking back from the window.

“Something’s not right,” he said to the silence of his office.

He howled when something twitched deep in his belly. Coulson gripped the edge of his desk. His long fingernails dug into the wood, scratching it. When had his nails grown to that length? He growled again, shaking his head left and right. It felt like something was pressing down on his spine. The muscles connected to it were twitching, he could feel them pushing upward, trying to break free from the skin. His ears were ringing, blood pounding at his temples.

The last thing Coulson remembered was stretching out his right arm toward his office door and watching as it changed into a big, hairy paw.

  
  
  


There was a beeping noise that kept waking him every time he tried to doze off. Coulson whimpered and hid his face between his paws. His head snapped up when he realized that was not normal. He growled as he looked around. Everything was so much brighter and a little distorted. It seemed that he was on the floor of the quarantine room.

A warm hand slid from his head all the way down his back, pulling his fur lightly and Coulson’s tail began to wag.

“See, I told you he’d be fine.”

He moved his head to the right, toward May’s voice. It sounded even sweeter to hear it with these ears. Coulson moved his head, trying to lick her chin. She chuckled, making a face.

“Agent May, I really wish you’d step out, or let me place a force field between the two of you,” Jemma said.

Coulson whimpered, turning his head toward the voice. The girl seemed almost scared. She was clutching a syringe with a rather long and pointy needle. He turned to May again, whimpering a few more times.

She smiled, bending her head to nuzzle his face. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ll figure it out.”

This time she didn’t move when Coulson licked her face. May laughed when he kept doing it, her arms tight around his neck, her cool fingers sinking into his fur. He felt like he was on fire but he did not want her to let go.

“Any ideas what caused this?” Mack asked. His lips were pressed tightly together as he looked into the containment room.

“Most likely the scratch,” May said, scratching his side.

Coulson resisted the urge to roll over and show her his belly. She would never let that go. 

“We think those dogs have been genetically enhanced with radiation and Diviner technology.”

Mack nodded. “And tonight was a full moon.”

“If we go by every folklore on werewolves… Director Coulson should change back when the full moon is over.”

“And what the hell do we do till then? Buy him dog food and throw a tennis ball at him?”

Coulson raised his head from May’s lap when he heard talk of food.

She chuckled, scratching his ears. “I think our biggest challenge will be keeping Skye off of him.”

He whimpered at Skye’s name, trying to lick May’s face again. She offered her palm instead.

“You want to go see Skye?”

Coulson waged his tail harder.

May looked at Jemma before turning to him. “Okay, but you have to promise Jemma to behave.”

He stood up the moment May did, moving around her and rubbing against her legs, making sure his scent was all over her so everyone else stayed away. Coulson let her walk out first and followed, always staying by her right side.

Mack shook his head as he watched his Director walking on four legs wagging his tail. “I need to retire,” he said.


	13. Vampires

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A sequel of sorts to "Strong at the Broken Places".

Daisy knew he had been following her for the last few days. There had been plenty of possibilities for her to disappear, or let him know she was aware. She wanted to string him along for a while longer. Daisy hadn’t had fun like this for a long time.

He was sitting at the bar, head down, shoulders sagging, not paying attention to the roucuss around him caused by the end of a baseball game. Daisy placed her right hand on his back, sliding into the seat next to him. Daniel looked up, eyes widening.

“It’s really you,” he said, his voice barely a whisper above the noise surrounding them.

Daisy smiled. “Care to buy me a drink?”

Daniel sat up, looking around. “Is that all you have to say to me?”

She chuckled. “Did you want a more formal greeting?”

He clenched his jaw, leaning toward her. “I have been looking for you for decades.”

“I know.”

Something flickered in his eyes. Was it pain or anger? Or maybe it was understanding. “What did you do to me?”

Daisy leaned back, grabbing his beer and taking a sip. “I saved your life.”

“I didn’t ask for that.”

“You’re welcome.”

Daniel took his beer bottle back. “Do you think this is a joke?”

“I did it for your mother. You called out so many times for her while you were sick. I couldn’t let you die.”

“Oh, so you go around playing God?”

Daisy tossed her hair behind her. “No, actually, our strict rules prohibit us from meddling with a human’s life course. I paid dearly for my rebellion.”

Daniel blinked, pulling back. “Our?” He asked, raising his right eyebrow.

She nodded. “Yours too. You’re one of us. I could show you so many things if you wanted. Time is no longer a thing you have to worry about.”

He watched her wide eyed. “This isn’t a joke, is it?”

Daisy leaned closer, placing her right hand over his. “You know it isn’t. You've been looking for me for seventy years.”


	14. Pranks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ll be playing catch-up for the next few days because life 😅

Coulson poked his head out of his office, looking both ways before stepping out. It seemed safe enough, but so had the hangar the day before, just before May drenched him in a mixture of oil and water. Her pranks were getting less elaborate and simply more terrifying.

He hated tiptoeing around his base but that was what she had reduced him to. Coulson was not afraid of running a secret spy agency, but he was afraid of his second in command who could barely reach his shoulder in heels.

Coulson was so lost in his own thoughts he walked right into the cobwebs at the bottom of his stairs. He yelped, throwing his arms up andeffectively spilling the coffee in his mug. The cobwebs were sticky and he could feel them all over his face and suit.

May chuckled, leaning against the sink. “You should probably pay attention to where you’re going, Director.”

“I hate you,” he said, still picking white stuff off his hair.

“Uhu.” May picked up a bag and went out of the room, probably off to terrorize someone else. 


	15. Thanksgiving

This was Melinda’s third trip to the grocery store in the last hour and she was ready to drive to New Hampshire. One would think she learned her lesson after throwing Phil and Daisy a birthday party, but somehow, he talked her into hosting Thanksgiving. Melinda agreed only under the condition that she would not go anywhere near the kitchen. What she didn’t anticipate was turning into the errand person.

The barbecue sauce, extra can of apple pure, and beer taunted her from the backseat as Melinda pulled into the driveway. She took off her seat belt but sat in the car a moment longer, looking at the scene unfolding on her porch.

Daisy was holding Alya on her hip while Peggy tried to jump up on both of them. Daniel was next to them, rather intrigued with whatever Alya was telling him. Fitz and Simmons were talking to Flint, who was still rather confused about the holiday. Melinda smiled when Elena waddled out of the front door, her belly leading her while she carried a tray of appetizers. Flint jumped up and took it from her. Mack was right behind.

Phil stepped out last, bending down to scratch Peggy behind her ears when she padded to him, tail wagging. He looked up and smiled when he saw Melinda.

She got out of the car, picking up the shopping bag, leaving the packs of beer for one of the guys to carry.

“What the hell are you all doing outside?” Melinda asked as she walked toward the house. “It’s freezing!”


	16. Apple Pies

Coulson was startled out of his nap by Peggy licking his face. He groaned, pushing her nose away as he sat up. He frowned when he smelled something burning. Maybe that was why Peggy woke him. He stumbled to the kitchen, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Melinda and Daisy were giggling. A pot of something was smoking on the stove. Daisy waved her hand in the air.

“I told you, the temperature was too high!”

“But the receipt said high heat!” Melinda said, huffing.

“It also said to stir the apple puree constantly,” Daisy said, digging a wooden spot in the pot and scooping up a dollop of charred apple slices.

“Well, that was the last of the apple from our apple picking trip. I guess we won’t be having apple pie and ice cream.”

Daisy dumped the content of the pot in the trash. “We can always use the canned apples. The dough is store bought anyway.”

Coulson cleared his throat, grinning when his girls jumped and turned.

“Maybe I should do the baking from now on?”

Melinda and Daisy looked at each other, rolling their eyes.


	17. Raking Leaves

He wasn’t getting very far with raking the leaves.

Melinda leaned against the porch railing and smiled while she watched Peggy attack Phil’s leg every time he moved. She cupped her tea mug with both hands, holding it close to her chest for extra warmth. The September breeze had turned quickly into a bitter October wind, cutting through their jackets in the early hours of the morning.

“Peggy, stay!” Phil said for the third time in two minutes.

Melinda chuckled. Peggy was three but she remained a puppy at heart. She continued running around Phil in circles, doing zoomies, as Daisy called them.

“Peggy, we talked about this!”

Melinda laughed. “I told you, we should have taken her to doggy day care so you could do this in peace.”

Phil turned to her, smiling. “I don’t think I’d be doing a good job even without her.”

She snorted. “Why is the pile in the middle of the yard?”

He grinned. “Watch!” 

Melinda frowned when Phil began running toward the end of their yard. Peggy followed, ears flapping behind her from the wind.

“Okay, sweet girl. Ready? Set. Go!”

Peggy began running toward the pile of leaves. Phil cheered her on. She increased speed and flew right into the pile, landing with a bark. It took her a few seconds to come out.

“Yeah! That was awesome!” Phil walked toward the porch. “Cool right?”

Melinda glared at him. “I’m not raking them this time.”

He grinned up at her.


	18. Foliage Trip

Taking Alya on a weekend trip up to New Hampshire had been Phil’s idea, but Melinda had to agree it was the perfect way to enjoy the foliage. The trip was a little long for her, but she was comfortable in her car seat, hugging a stuffed version of Peggy, who was also napping in the back seat next to Alya.

Melinda turned her head to check on them, smiling at the sight. She reached for Phil’s phone and snapped a picture, sending it to Jemma and Fitz. They had bribed them with the promising idea of a kid free weekend.

“I thought Melinda May didn’t believe in pictures,” Phil said, not turning.

“Shut up, this never happened.”

He chuckled. Melinda smirked at him before turning her attention to the scenery. The trees blurred into a wave of redish-yellow as they drove by. Kamakus Highway was long and winding, with multiple locations to pull off and enjoy the scenery, but Phil said they should drive to Rocky Gorge to beat the traffic and stop on their way back down.

They made it to the parking lot with no problems. Alya woke up, rubbing her eyes before looking around. Peggy barked once and Phil let her out of the car after getting her on a leash.

“We are here, Alya,” Melinda said, unbuckling her. “Are you excited to see the trees?”

“Yes, Nǎinai,” Alya said, throwing her arms around Melinda the moment she was free.

She looked around her, following the groups of people heading toward the entrance to the gorge. Melinda smiled watching her. A few years ago, Ayla had not seen more than the same three adults her entire life. She had not felt grass beneath her bare feet, seen snow, or jumped in a pile of leaves. Now she craved adventures, never afraid of what she didn’t know. She turned with a smile, and Melinda kissed her cheek.

“Okay, let’s go!” Phil said, strapping the backpack with their snacks to his back.

The walk to the gorge was not too far. Melinda held Alya’s hand as they walked on the rocks, which were not slippery luckily. She knew Phil was taking pictures of them, only stopping when Peggy tried to run off. She had to admit, it looked beautiful. The leaves, some red, some yellow, and a few still green, created the perfect backdrop to the water rushing through the rocks.

They crossed over the foot bridge, looked at the lake, and then decided to have their picnic on the trail. Phil had made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and some Nutella ones. They had them with fruits and cold water from a stream close by. Peggy napped until it was time to walk back.

“Did you have fun, baby?” Melinda asked Alya as they walked to their car.

“Yes, Nǎinai. I can’t wait to tell Mama about it.”

“Just don’t tell her how many sandwiches you had, okay?” Phil said, helping Peggy jump in the back seat.

“Okay, A.C!”

Melinda and Phil looked at each other before laughing as she buckled Alya in the car seat. Their girls fell asleep as soon as they got on the highway again. This time Melinda snapped a picture of Phil smiling as he looked ahead.


	19. Cemetery

Dry leaves and branches cracked under Melinda’s boots as she followed Phil through the grass, trying not to step on any graves. The lack of moonlight was making this peculiar walk rather challenging.

“This is creepy,” she said, gripping Phil’s forearm and pulling him back when he wandered too far away from her.

He chuckled. “Oh come on, you’ve dug my grave out, but this is creepy?”

Melinda tried to side step a plot that appeared freshly covered, but her left leg slipped, going right through some soft mud.

“I hate you!” She hopped out of the literal hole she dug herself in and shuddered.

Phil snorted. “We are almost there.”

“I know where your grave is,” Melinda said, picking leaves off her jacket and throwing them at him.

“Why are you so on edge about this?”

She groaned, slowing her pace when she saw the tombstone with “Coulson” engraved on it. Phil continued a few steps ahead before realising Melinda wasn’t following. He stopped, turning slowly. Even in the dark she could see his apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry. In my morbid curiosity I never realized what this means to you.”

Melinda nodded, eyes still fixed on the tombstone. 

Phil took a step toward her. “Mel?”

She shook her head. “I know this grave is empty. That we could technically resell it. Nothing ties us to this anymore.”

“But?” He tilted his head to the right.

“It’s like a reminder that I almost lost you so many times.”

“Mel--

Melinda shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt. But it still stings, sometimes.”

He walked slowly to her and pulled her to his chest. Phil’s body emitted enough warmth to chase the chill of the October night away, although momentarily. 

“If it makes you feel better,” he said, looking down at her, “you won’t have to pick out another one of these for me, ever again.”

Melinda snorted. “No, this time you will have to.”

Phil’s arms around her torso tightened. “We have time.”

“Time to spare?” Melinda asked, looking up at him.

“All the time in the world. I’m never letting you go.”


	20. Halloween Party

The hangar was a chaotic place, decorated in black and orange streamers attempting to mask the grey of the walls. The snacks table, also covered in a cheap, plastic tablecloth with spiders on it, had turned into a bar, the bowls of chips and pretzels shoved to the side to make room for an array of liquor bottles and plastic cups, also pointedly orange.

Someone had placed a giant spider on top of her airplane, and Melinda had a strong suspicion that someone was Skye. She glared at the ugly blow-up thin sitting on her cockpit, getting her window dirty from one of the balconies overlooking the hangar.

“You’re looking at that spider like it ate the Bus,” Coulson said, standing next to her and bumping her shoulder with his.

Melinda turned to glare at him. “It’s ugly, and it’s unnecessary.”

“Oh, come on, Mel! It’s a Halloween party!”

“We are a spy agency, not a community center.”

Coulson knocked back whatever concoction he had in his cup that smelled like whiskey and cinnamon. “We are barely a spy agency. And even secret agents deserve some fun now and then.”

Melinda rolled her eyes. Downstairs, Skye and Hunter were arguing as always, Jemma and Fitz were trying to set up projectors to emit life size skeletons, and Trip was offering everyone another round of shots. She smiled, turning slightly so Coulson didn’t see it. 

“I recall a cadet who loved to party,” Coulson said, his right hand wrapping around her waist.

“And I recall a nerd who always sat in the corner with a comic when the rest of us played beer pong,” Melinda said, not turning.

Coulson ran his hand up and down her ass, squeezing it. “I still managed to go home with someone every time tho, didn’t I?”

She turned, eyebrow raised. “That’s cause everyone was usually so horny they would get off with a piece of plastic.”

Coulson pouted. “Ouch!”

Melinda snorted, gripping the back of his neck and pulling his mouth to hers. “You’re only going home with me now, however.”   


He groaned when she licked his lips, biting the lower one. Melinda squealed when Coulson’s hand gripped her ass and lifted her up, backing them up against the wall behind them as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“You think the kids will notice we are gone for an hour?” He asked, running his teeth down her throat.

Melinda chuckled. “An hour? You’re ambitious.”


	21. Portal to Another World

Melinda looked around, blinking at the bright sun shining on her face.

“We are definitely not in the lab anymore,” Coulson said.

She turned toward him. He was wearing the same clothes as a few moments ago. She looked down at her legs and feet, so was she.

“I feel like I know this place.”

Melinda moved closer to him as she took in their surroundings. She blinked when she noticed the driveway with the oil stain from where she worked on her bike. The garage with the bright yellow door Andrew had painted when she was on a long mission.

“Andrew?” Melinda almost whispered it to herself.

Coulson touched her wrist. “Did we get transported to your old house?”

Just then the front door opened. He pulled her behind a tree, but Melinda could still see the child who ran out and down the front steps. She was about four, with long, raven black hairand an oversized hoodie with a Shield eagle on it.

“Wait you little terror, uncle Phil isn’t here yet!” Andrew said, chasing after the girl.

She reached the end of the driveway and stopped, just in time for the rumble of an engine to echo down the street. This Phil pulled up to the curb in Lola.

“Ready to go pick up May at the airport?” He said, spreading his arms to catch the little girl who jumped on him.

Melinda squeezed Coulson’s hand when she caught the flash of a gold band on his ring finger.

“Yeah, let’s go before she takes off and runs to the airport.”

Phil laughed as he followed Andrew to his car.

Melinda and Coulson watched them drive off. The neighborhood was strangely quiet.

“Maybe something went wrong in the lab and we got knocked out and this is a dream.”

Melinda shook her head. “We can’t be having the same exact dream.”

“Mel...”

Just then a bright flash of light appeared to their right and pulled them in. They found themselves in the lab again. Jemma was cringing at them.

“It appears the device is able to open a portal to different timelines. I’m glad you two are back safe.”

Coulson squeezed her hand when Melinda looked up at him.


	22. Witches

Melinda stirred the cauldron slowly, watching the dark fluid bubble. One of her crows perched itself on the rim. Its caw piercing the silence of the forest.

“Yes, I know she’s late.”

Another caw.

“No, I don’t think she’s in trouble.” Melinda looked into the cauldron. “Not yet, at least.”

She looked up when she heard the snapping of twigs and crunch of leaves while someone stepped on them. Daisy huffed her way up the little hill.

“You’re late,” Melinda said. The crow flew toward Daisy.

She petted its head. “I couldn’t get away. They have men watching every entrance to the forest.”

Melinda nodded. “How are things?”

“It’s the bread, it’s making them all sick.”

“The remedy should be ready.”

Daisy knelt next to Melinda. “Do you think any of them will agree to take it? They won’t even accept any other possibility other than witchcraft.”

Melinda placed her right hand on Daisy’s head, running it down her long hair. “That’s why we need to help them. Those poor women...”

“They are so afraid. Terrified to wash the clothes too clean, look too happy, not drawn in the river if they slide and fall while walking.”

Melinda looked toward the village. “Do you remember how excited we were when they settled here?”

“We should have listened to the others and left. The forest is getting smaller, the trees thinner. The humans have been mapping most trails.”

Daisy looked up with tears in her eyes. “We can’t leave them!”

Melinda smiled down at her. “Of course not, they need our help.”

They looked down toward Salem when a scream rose through the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love visiting Salem, but unfortunately wasn’t able to go this year due to the current situation. They recently created memorials for all the girls executed during the Salem Witch Trials. It won’t fix history, but at least it’s a small recognition that mass hysteria never ends well.


	23. Carving Pumpkins

“Mommy, why is Daddy looking at his pumpkin like that?” Daisy asked Melinda, looking up at her while holding the plastic carving tools they had picked up at the grocery store along with the three pumpkins.

Melinda snorted, squinting to make sure her design on the pumpkin was even on both sides. “Daddy doesn’t like having to gut the pumpkin.”

Daisy giggled, going back to carving a wing on her pumpkin.

“You doing okay hun?” Melinda asked, smirking at Phil.

He groaned, giving her a side eye. “I don’t understand why I have to do this?”

“Because it’s a family tradition.”

“Mhm, a family tradition,” Daisy echoed, sticking out her tongue in concentration as she carved a big chunk off her pumpkin.

Phil laughed, stroking her long hair. “Daddy just doesn’t like the idea of butchering these poor things.”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “Oh come on! It’s a pumpkin! It doesn’t have a soul!”

Phil picked up the pumpkin with a gasp and cradled it to his chest. “Don’t listen to the mean lady,” he whispered to the stem.

Daisy and Melinda shared a look and an eye roll. They were done after another hour, during which Phil talked to the pumpkin. They lined up the carved pumpkins on the front door steps. Daisy had carved a butterfly and Melinda a tree.

“Why did you bring your pumpkin out, Daddy? It’s not carved,” Daisy asked, frowning at it.

“For the animals to eat, hunny bun.”

“Oh so that doesn’t hurt you?”

Phil shrugged. “It’s the circle of life.”

“Okay, Mufasa.”

Melinda chuckled when he kissed her lips quickly. Phil picked up Daisy and carried her on his shoulders as they walked to the end of their yard to admire her work. Melinda couldn’t resist snapping a picture of them.


	24. Darkhold

They all stood around the table in the lab, looking at the book with the black cover.

“Please tell me it’s not what I think it is?” Daisy said, taking a step back.

“You just had to go investigate those strange reports in New Orleans, didn’t you?” Melinda said, giving Coulson the side eye.

His eyes widened. “How is this my fault?”

Daniel looked back and forth between Daisy and Melinda. “Why is everyone so afraid of this book?”

“Because it’s a book out of Hell,” Mack said, frowning at it.

Daisy nodded. “The Devil probably reads this as inspiration.”

“We need to get rid of it.”

“Why don’t we take it to Space and just...” Daniel made a motion of imitating throwing something away.

Coulson and Mack looked at each other while Melinda rolled her eyes.

“Does anyone else have a better idea?” Daniel asked, eyebrows raised.

Daisy opened her mouth to speak but just then a circle of fire appeared in the middle of the lab. It expanded to show a river of lava on the other side as Robbie Reyes stepped out of it.

“Hey guys, long time no see. Looks like you found the thing I’ve been chasing after.” He grinned. 


	25. Halloween Costumes; Part 1

Daisy skipped ahead toward the Halloween store. Daniel shook his head, laughing.

“How do you deal with her on a daily basis?” Mack asked.

Elena smacked his left arm which she was holding. “You’re not easy to live with yourself, Director.”

Daniel grinned. “She just needs to be a little kid now and then. Eventually she regroups.”

“Guys, come on!” Daisy waved from the entrance. “We need to get in there before all the good costumes are gone.”

Mack rolled his eyes.

“I’m not getting a costume,” Elena said.

“You’re no fun,” Daisy said, throwing a skeleton arm at her.

Elena threw it back. “I just don’t think messing with the dead is fun.”

Daniel took the skeleton arm from Daisy and placed it back in the display bin. “We will be respectful.”

“Mack, what are you thinking of dressing up as?” Daisy asked, bouncing up and down in front of him.

He shrugged. “I could always come dressed like this and hand out cards asking if anyone wants to join Shield?”

Daisy rolled her eyes as she flipped through piles of spandex and tulle.

“Daniel, what are you wearing?” Elena said, trying on a witch’s hat.

He chuckled.

“His old three piece suit we first met him in,” Daisy said, making a face at Daniel when he grinned. 

“I don’t get a chance to wear it anymore, so we can’t just let it rot in the closet.”

Daisy placed her hands on her hips, huffing, “I might as well wear my Quake suit.”

They all laughed. 


	26. Halloween Costumes; Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for being a day behind! Going to post two chapters today 😁
> 
> This...was not how I planned to write about May and Coulson costume shopping 🤣 but hey sometimes it happens 🤷🏻♀️

Melinda raised her right eyebrow at the racks of cheap spandex and latex trying to pass as leather. Half of the store was filled with black clothes and accessories, while across the main aisle, were the racks of over the top frills and eye popping colors.

“At least give it a shot,” Phil said, putting on a cowboy hat.

“You realize this is not a regular Halloween costume store right?”

He looked around, smirking at the maniquine displaying a cat suit, and the one next to it, displaying a set of bra and panties and bunny ears all made out of fake leather. 

“You don’t think I could rock these?”

Melinda glared at him. Phil smirked, approaching her slowly. She yelped, groaning when he bit her neck, turning her toward one of the full length mirrors at the corner of the store. He looked around before whispering in her ear.

“Fine. Then I’m sure we can find you something black and lacy and barely there that I can tear off your body at home.”

Melinda groaned. “Phil...we are in public!”

He looked around again, turning to smirk at her through the mirror. “There’s no one here. The teenager at the counter doesn’t care if we run off with one of the whips.”

“I have better ones at home,” Melinda said, glaring back at him.

Phil licked up and down the right side of her neck. “You do. You also have a cat suit you wore once on a mission, stashed somewhere in our basement. And leather boots. And sturdier handcuffs.”

It was Melinda who smirked at him this time. “You’re digging your own grave, Phil.”

He huffed, right hand cupping her through her jeans. “Come on, do I have to beg you?”

She looked to her right. “Get that rope and we are going straight home.


	27. Halloween Costumes; Part 3

“Fitz, we are not getting her a monkey onesie!” Melinda said, holding a mostly asleep Alya as they walked through the kids section of the Halloween store.

“But she could use it at pjs after! It will be really useful!”

“Fitz, we are not!” Jemma said, going through some ballerina costumes. “Do you think she’ll like this?” She asked, showing Melinda the puffy tulle skirt.

Melinda scrunched her nose. “She’s not a ballerina. She’s more like....” Melinda looked around, grinning as she picked up a Star Trek captain’s uniform. “She’s more like Kathryn Janeway in charge of Voyager.”

Fitz snapped his fingers. “She can be Naomi.”

Jemma gasped. “Fitz, that’s a great idea! They were both born in space, and all we need is sticking some horns on her forehead.”

Melinda chuckled. “She has a cute forehead,” she said, rubbing hers against Alya’s who mumbled something in her sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been watching too much Star Trek #no regrets 🤣🤣🤣
> 
> But really, Alya and Naomi would be such good friends. They were both born in space, they didn’t have any friends their age for a while, and they have a bunch of weird aunts and uncles lol


	28. Jack O Lanterns

“Come on A.C!” Alya screeched, pulling Phil’s hand as she walked toward the sign that reed “Zoo Jack-O-Lanterns Experience Entrance.”

Melinda chuckled. She hung back for a few seconds to snap a picture of the two of them and send it to the group chat. Phil looked at his phone when it pinged and then back at her, grinning.

“Wooooo!” Alya stopped right at the entrance.

The main zoo path was lined with Jack-o-lanterns. Each pumpkin had a different carving . They walked slowly, taking their time to appreciate each design. Phil took over the job of photographer. Melinda rolled her eyes as he basically followed Alya around with the camera.

Their next stop was another path, this time illuminated by Chinese lanterns hanging from a makeshift canopy. Melissa lifted Ayla in her arms so she could touch one of them. Phil’s camera shutter clicked a few times and Ayla giggled, hugging Melinda and hiding her face in her neck.

Phil led the way to a clearing where different animals glowed as dusk descended over the zoo.

Melinda pointed at the panda. “Do you like it?”

Ayla looked between the panda lantern and Melinda before nodding excitedly.

“I hear they have panda shaped ice cream at the gift store!” Phil said, tickling Ayla’s belly.

Melinda chuckled. They spent almost an hour admiring all the lantern artwork that seemed to glow brighter as darkness enveloped the park.

Ayla was asleep in Phil’s arms by the time they got to the gift store. Instead of panda shaped ice cream they got her a panda plushie and tucked her in with it in her car seat. She hugged the stuffed animal closer, smiling in her sleep as they drove home. 


	29. Nightmares

Melinda jerked awake the moment her bunk door opened. She reached for her gun.

“Just me!” Skye said, her hands in the air.

Melinda sighed, sitting up and turning on the bedside lamp. “How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me?”

“My bad, next time I’ll tell my nightmares to schedule in advance so I can ask you to come over.”

Melinda frowned. “Did you have another bad dream?”

Skye looked down at her bare feet, playing with one of her rings, and nodded.

“What was it about?”

She shrugged, still looking down.

Melinda moved a little to the left, patting the space next to her. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Skye finally looked up. She dove into the bed with a grin and nuzzled her face across Melinda’s chest. She stroked the girl’s hair, running her fingers through the tangles.

“They get worse every time we find out more about my parents.”

Melinda squeezed her shoulder. “It’s only normal you’d have bad dreams. But you must train yourself not to let them convince you they are real.”

Skye yawned. “Maybe tomorrow.”

She was asleep in a few minutes. Melinda chuckled, lowering her head to kiss Skye’s hair before leaning against the headboard and closing her eyes. 


	30. Resuscitation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don’t hate me for this 😬
> 
> I have had the idea of a fic where May dies on a mission and Coulson brings her back as an LMD stuck in my head for a while. I tried to write a full length fic but it hurt too much and I hit several walls, so I decided to write the scene stuck in my head.
> 
> Happy Halloween eve!

“Do it!” Coulson said for the third time, staring at the lifeless body in front of him.

She was covered in blood, both hers and the man’s she took down before collapsing in Coulson’s arms.

“S-sir?” Jemma’s voice sounded distant.

“I said do it!”

Coulson had never screamed at her before, but he did. Jemma flinched back, gripping the desk behind her.

“Coulson, you need to calm down,” Mack said, moving between them.

He glared. “She’s dead because you had to pull us out of retirement. Start the damn upload!”

“Coulson, she wanted to come back,” Elena said.

“Yes. And I was supposed to keep her safe. I’m her field partner. She was my responsibility.” Coulson moved toward Mack, coming toe to toe with him, his face in front of his chest. He looked up. “Start uploading her last brain scan onto the LMD.”

Mack looked at Daisy. She shrugged.

“I’m the one who hid all these while Jemma printed the body, remember? Don’t look at me to change his mind.”

“I will take every responsibility for this,” Coulson said, looking around the room.

“She might hate you,” Fitz said. “She might hate what she wakes up to be.”

Coulson looked back at Melinda. “But she will wake up.” He moved toward her, resting his right hand on her hair, matted with blood and sweat. “Start the upload.”


	31. Trick or Treat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween!
> 
> This challenge was so much fun. Thank you for reading! 🎃💀👻🖤

Melinda’s front porch was more chaotic than any mission she had even been on as they prepared to head out. Daisy was trying to take pictures of Peggy after getting a skeleton shirt on the poor dog. Jemma was trying to convince Alya that the horns needed to stay on her forehead or no one would know who she was. Phil was halfway through the candy they planned to leave out for the trick or treaters.

“We need to go!” Melinda said, for the fourth time.

Daisy made a face at her phone’s screen. “They’re not even here yet!”

Melinda was about to confiscate her phone when a horn blared coming down their street.

“Our lovely neighbors will file a noise complaint,” Melinda said turning to Phil.

He grinned around the Reese’s cup he had shoved in his mouth and she rolled her eyes.

“Trick or treat!” Flint screamed as he ran from the car and up the steps.

“What are you supposed to be?” Ayla asked, looking up at him.

“I’m Mack!” Flint said, twirling so they could all admire the black trench coat. He frowned looking down at Ayla. “Who are you supposed to be?”

“I’m Naomi Wildman,” Ayla said, patting Peggy who walked by to go sniff Flint.

He frowned at Mack and Elena who were waiting at the end of the front steps.

“You gotta watch Star Trek, kid,” Mack said.

“I thought Davis was bringing James?” Phil asked.

“They are running late,” Elena said, glaring at Flint as he jumped off the stairs.

Davis, Stephanie, James, and Piper all showed up dressed as M&Ms, causing Peggy to bark at them for ten minutes.   
  


Melinda and Phil walked behind their miss-matched group while the kids walked ahead, waving their bags and shouting trick or treat. Phil took her hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss the knuckles. 

“I think this was a successful Halloween so far,” he said, petting Peggy’s head.

Melinda looked up at him. “Are you gonna steal the kids’ Reese’s?”

He grinned. “The second they go to sleep.”


End file.
